Cash and parcel carrier.



No. 7I4,202. Patented Nov. 25, |902. N. LEBLANC. A

CASH AN'D PAI-'IGELv CARRIER. (Application med im.' 2s, 1so2.) (No Model.) l SVShae's-Sheat l.;

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N0. 7|4,202. Patentd Nov. 25, |902.

N. LEBLANC.

CASH AND PARCEL CARRIER.

(Application med mr. 2s, 1902.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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No. 7|4,2o2. Patented Nov. 25, |902.

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(Applcaon led Kar. 28, 1902.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet ,3.

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Patented Nov. 251, 19.02.

Ng LEBLANC. CASH AND PARCEL CARRIER.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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No.' 7I'4,202. Patented Nov. 25,1902.

N.: LEBLANC. CASH AND lPA'ICEL CARRIER.

(Application med mr. 2e, 1902.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

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UNITED y STATES PATENT CEETCE.

NAZAIRE LEBLANC, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

CASH AND FARCELl CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,202, dated November 25, 1902.

Application filed March 28, 1902. VSerial No. 100,356. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it 171.601,/ concern,.-

Be it known that I, NAZAIRE LEBLANC, a citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, residing in Lowell,in the' county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cash and-Parcel Carriers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cash and parcell carriers, or carriers which convey money and other articles between a central station and outlying stations by means of pneumaticdespatch tubes, and comprises the combinations and devices hereinafter' described and claimed.

The object of this invention is to provide the despatchtubes and carriers with means by which the carriers will be automatically delivered at their proper stations or switched into their proper branch tubes.

In the accompanying drawings, on five sheets, Figure 1 is a plan of a part of the cashiers desk and a line of despatch-tubes making a circuit which begins and ends at the cashiers desk; Fig. 2, avertical longitudinal central section on the line 2 2 in Fig. 4 of a despatch-tube containing a switch,a deliverystation, and a receiving-station, showing also a carrier in the tube; Fig. 3, similar to Fig. 2, except in the position of the switching-levers and carrier, the carrier approaching the switch in Fig. 2 and operating the switch in Fig. 3; Fig. 4, a plan of the part of the tube shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5, a similar plan, partly in transverse section on the line 5 5 in Fig. 2, omitting the carrier; Fig. 6, an enlarged viewsimilarto Fig. 2, omitting the carrier and the parts at the right of the deliverystation; Fig. 7, an enlargement of the sectional part of Fig. 5; Fig. 8, a vertical transverse section of the tube, showing in end elevation a part of the switching device on the line S S in Fig. 6; Fig. 9, avertical transverse section on the line 9 9 in Fig. 11 of the hubs of the locking-lever and switch-actuating lever, showing the hub-locking devices; Fig. 10, a frontend elevation of the part shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 11, a front elevation of the hub of the switch-actuating lever and its groove and a vertical section of the latch; Fig. 12, a side elevation of my improved carrier; Fig.

13, a rear elevation of the same; Fig. 14, a vertical central longitudinal section of the same on the line 14 14 in Fig. 16; Fig. 15, a vertical transverse section of the same on the line 15 15 in Fig. 11 looking to the left; Fig. 16, a plan of the same, partly in horizontal central section; Fig. 17, a side elevation of the same, partly in vertical central longitudinal section, on the same plane of section as in Fig. 14, showing the bolt retracted and the door of the carrier open. It willv be understood that the words side, plan,7 vertical, and horizontal in the above description of Figs. 12 to 17 are used relatively to the positions of the carrier in said figures and not absolutely, as the carrier may have any side uppermost when in use. Figs. 18 and 19 represent a modification of the part of the switching apparatus within the tube, Fig. 18 being a central vertical longitudinal section on the line 18 18 in Fig. 19 of the pneumatic tube at any switch and delivery-station, showing in front elevation the modified switching levers and devices, and Fig. 19 being a central horizontal section on the line 19 19 in Fig. 18 of said tube and a plan of said levers and devices.

A indicates the cashiers desk; B, a tube or trunk angular in cross-section, preferably rectangular, which leads out from the cashers desk and after making a circuit of all'the salesmen-s stations returns to said desk.

C C C2 C3 Cl C5 C6 C7 CS indicate the sending-stations, the first indicated being at the cashiers desk, each sending-station consisting of a trap-door c, pressed upward and normally closed by a spring c', through which door the carriers E are introduced into the tube B at the cashiers desk or at any of the salesmens stations. From the sendingstation the carriers are sucked or drawn through the tube B in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 1.

The delivery-stations D' D2 D3 D4 D5 DG D7 D8 are arranged at the salesmens stations and are hereinafter described, it being understood that the delivery-station'D at the cashiers desk may be merely the end of the pneumatic tube B, from which the carrier may be discharged into a box, basket, or other suitable receptacle.

Assuming the tube B to be rectangular in IOO cross-section, the carriers E will also be rectangular in cross-section. In other respects, except as hereinafter stated, the carriers are similar to those commonly employed in cylindrical pneumatic tubes, each having a ila-p e, which spreads out to iill the tube B and catch the air, and a buffer e or cushion at the front end. The current ot' air is preferably furnished by a suction-fan or exhaust-fan.

The body of the carrier E is provided. with flanges e2 e3, of rigid material, near its ends, and these flanges are provided with openings e4 e5 of 'a width sufcient to allow them to re ceive and travel over the lever F in the direction of its length, said openings being arranged one directly behind the other for that purpose. This lever and the other switching devices supported by the tube B are shown in Figs. 2 to 7, and the carriers are best represented in Figs. l2 to 17.

The end of the lever F rst approached by the carrier is pivoted at f, and the free end of said lever rises slightly above the floor of the tube, so that when the openings e4 e5 are at the same distance from the side of the tube as the lever F (said lever parallel with said tube) the carrier passes over said lever without moving it; but when these openings and said lever F are at 'dierent distances from lsaid side b' the carrier in passing depresses the free end of the lever F and forces downward the front end ot' a locking-lever G, pivoted in a longitudinal slot h of the hub h of the switch-lever actuator H', itself a lever, lifting 'the rear end of said lever G out of a notch t' at the end of a groove t" in the front end of the hub of the switch-lever I, said hubs h 712 being concentric with each other and turningon a common fulcrurn K, which passes through a downward enlargement b24 or chamber of the tube B, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 6, and 8, and said groove ibeing also concentric with said fulcrum, so that when the rear end of the lever G is raised into the groove t" the actuator Il may be turned independently of the switch-lever I. The switch lever I is arranged in a backward extension or chamber b3 of the tube B and is not affected directly by the passing of the carrier, so that when the actuator H and said lever I are unlocked the carrier will pass over and depress `the actuator H Without moving the lever I.

When the openings e4 e5 are at the same distance from the side b of the tube B and the lever F is not depressed, a passing carrier will depress the actuator H, as usual, causing the switcl1-lever I to be thrown downward, because the hubs h 2 are not unlocked by the lever F. ,Y

A switch J or lever is pivoted at j in the top of the tube B and is connected at j by a hook, slot, or other obvious means with a stud i3, which projects horizontally forward from the free end of the switch-lever I, so that the depression of said switch-lever brings said switch J into the path of the carrier and causes said carrier to pass up through a short branch or delivery-station D. This branch D is closed by a suitable gate or ilap d,whch yields outwardly when struck by the carrier, allowing the carrier to be discharged, and is closed by suitable springs d, Figs. 4 and 5, connected in an obvious manner with said gate at its pivot.

It is obvious that by changing the distances of the openings e4 e5 from the side b' or front of the tube B and equally changing the corresponding distances of the levers F at dierent stations a number of carriers may be sent from the cashiers desk, and only one of such carriers will be discharged at any given station, said openings being all arranged on the bottoms of their respective carriers. Moreover, an additional number of carriers having their openings e4 e5 on one side may be sent from the carrier-station and will safely pass all stations of the first set of carriers. In the same way two more sets of carriers may be used by utilizing the other two sides of the carriers for the openings e4 e5. To discharge each set of carriers properly, it would be necessary without changing the tube B that the leversF for each set should be arranged on the same side of the carriers with said openings e4 e5. Such an arrangement would require the dischargestations or branches to be on the opposite side of the tube B from the lever F, which would be inconvenient. I am enabled to avoid this inconvenience by giving the tube B a quartertwist between each set of stations. Suppose there are ten carriers in each set, and suppose that each salesmans station, as D C', represents ten stations instead of one, the levers F being arranged at the bottom of the tubes B throughout the system. Then the second set of carriers will pass the first ten sta tions andl being turned by a quarter-twist in the tube B at b in Fig. l will then have their openings etL e5 next the door or bottom of tube B and will be discharged one at each of the next ten stations in a similar manner. A third set of carriers sent from the desk A and having the openings e4 e5 in the top carrier will pass the first twenty stations without being discharged, being turned quarter-way around, as above described, between the first and second sets of stations and after passing the second set of stations will be turned another quarter-way around in the saine direction, bringing the bottom of the carrier to the top of the tube and the openings e4 c5 to the oorof said tube and causing the third set of carriers to be delivered at the third set of stations, supposed to be represented by C3 D3. A fourth set of Vten carriers sent from the desk A and having their openings e4 e5 in the fourth side of the carrier will pass thirty stations and being turned at the quarter-twist b next succeeding the thirtieth station will be properly distributed at the ten stations represented by C4 D4, thus properly distributing forty carriers.

In the above statement the number of the openings and stations are assumed for con- IIO venience of description, and I do not mean to limit myself to these numbers.

It will also be understood that by the top of thecarrier is meant its upper face when placed at the desk A in the sending-station C, and in practice all the carriers will be marked on topin any convenient manner, as by making said tops of a uniform color, different from the color ot the sides and bottoms of the carriers, or by placing any desighating-mark on said tops.

The openings e4 e5 serve the same purpose as a groove cut lengthwise of a solid carrier of the same diameter as the flanges e2 e3.

The above description assumes, but only for explanatory purposes, that all the positions which the imaginary groove formed by the openings e4 e5 may occupy have been exhausted in distributing forty carriers, or, in other words, thatl each flange of each carrier is wide enough to make, side by side with suitable separations, ten openings e or e5 and no more.

It is evident that a solid ungrooved carrier of the same diameters as the flanges ez e3 or a carrier with flanges destitute of the openings eL e5 would pass by any number (no matter how large) ot' delivery-stations without being discharged and would return to the desk after passing all said stations. By stopping up the opening e5 in the front flange e5 in any carrier such carrier will be enabled to pass through the tube from end to end thereof, depressing all the levers at large in succession and unlocking the actuator H and switch -lever I at each station. It follows that if the opening c5 can beclosed until the first four sets of salesmens stations are passed and again opened by means within the tube B four other sets of equal number and of substantially the same construction may be delivered properly at forty additional stations. I accomplish this by means (shown in Figs. 12 to 17) with which the carrier is provided and by the hooked lever t5. (Shown in Fig. 2 at the right.)

The carriers E of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth sets are each provided with a bolt L, normally retracted bya spring t out of the opening e5 in the front iiange e3, but shot up into said opening e5 by the closing of the door e6 of the carrier, said door having a projection e7, which by the closing of the door, Fig. 17, reaches under a projection Z7 on the bolt L and raises said bolt into the position shown in Figs. 12 and 14, filling the opening c5, where said bolt is retained by a latch Z2 springing under a pin or projection Z3 on said bolt. Just before the door e is completely closed the projection eT is disengaged from or swings out from under the incline Z', so that the bolt L is free to Hy into the carrier when released by the latch Z2. The bolt is guided by a tube L', slotted at Z1 to allow the pin Z3 to project therefrom, Fig. 14. A lever Z5 engages. the latch Z2 and projects from the carrier and when engaged by a hooked lever Z, which reaches in-to the tube'B between tbc 'fourth l rier and the carrier to be discharged at theV proper station of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth series.

It is further obvious that by moving the projecting arm ofthe lever Z5 to the right or let't of the position it occupies when it engages the hooked lever ZG above named said lever' Z will not operate to allow the bolt D to be withdrawn, and the carriers will pass the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth series of stations and continue on until said carriers meet another hooked leverl ZG, arranged in a position to release said bolt L in the new position of the outer arm of the lever Z5, and that the bolt L being withdrawn the carriers may be delivered each at its proper station in the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth series of stations, and that on every change of position of the outer arm of said lever Z5 and by the use of a new hooked lever properly placed four new series of carriers and stations may be used, assuming the carriers to have four sides and the tube B to have a quarter-twistV Z) between each series of stations.

ln Figs. 18 and 19 the upper arm ofthe lever F stands in the path of a carrier andis depressed by every passing carrier except the one in which the openings e4 e5 or groove admits said upper arm. Said lever F' is pivoted on an actuator or lever H', substantiallylike the actuator H in the other Iigures. The actuator H' is provided with ears t4 5, in which slides a rod I', which may be regarded as a switch-lever, having the same fulcrurn as the actuator and normally engaging the switch J, as by projecting over the free edge of said switch, being heldin this position by a spring t5, compressed between the ear t4 and a collar t7 on said rod or lever I'.

The rod or lever l (unlike the lever I, above described) is depressed at every depression of the actuator-that is, by every passing carrier-but the lower end of said rod is so jointed or connected to the lower end of the lever F at s that the movement of said lever F' due to direct contact of a carrier draws said rod I down out of engagement with the switch J and allows the actuator to be depressed without opening said switch. When the groove in the carrier is arranged to admit the lever F', the switch is opened by the depression of the actuator.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a pneumatic carrier system, the combination of a despatch-tube having branches, a switch, a switch-lever operated by a passing carrier,and mechanism normally connecting said switch and lever and controlled by a carrier and adapted to disconnect said switch and lever and to allow said lever to be operated without operating said switch.

2. In a carrier system, the combination of a despatch-tube having branches, a switch, a switch-lever arranged in the path of a carrier IOS IIO

and operated by the passing of the same, and a movable connection between said switch and lever, adapted to be displaced by said carrier and to disconnect said switch 'and 1ever before said lever is operated.

In a carrier system, the combination of a tube having two or more branches or discharge-tubes, a like number ot' switches, each normally closing one of said discharge-tubes, a like number of levers, operated by a passing carrier, a like number of mechanisms, each normally connecting one of said levers to one of said switches and arranged at varying distances from the middle of the carriers and adapted when struck by a carrier, to disconnect the corresponding lever and switch and as many carriers, each having a longitudinal opening to allow said carrier to pass one of said mechanisms wit-hout operating the same.

4. In a carrier system, the combination of a tube having a series of discharge-tubes or branches, switches to close said branches, means of opening said switches by passing carriers having openings which register with said means, with a carrier having a longitudinal opening, a bolt adapted to lill said opening, a spring to draw said bolt out of said opening and a latch to retain said bolt in said opening, said tube having a projection arranged to engage said latch and release said bolt.

5. In a carrier system, the combination of a despatch tube, divided into connected longitudinal sections, having a series of branches, switches and switch-levers in each section, and mechanisms normally connecting said switches and levers and adapted to be controlled by a suitable passing carrier, to disconnect said switches and levers and to permit the passing of a carrier without operating a switch, and as many series of carriers as there are tube-sections, each series of carriers being appropriate to one of said sections and each carrier of each section being adapted to pass through all of the othersections without operating any switch of said other sections and to operate a single switch of its own section.-

6. In a carrier system, the combination of a despatch-tube, angular in cross-section and divided into a plurality of longitudinal sections by twists or turns of said tube about its axis, each of said longitudinal sections having a series of branches, switches and switchlevers, and mechanisms normally connecting said switches and levers and adapted to be controlled by a suitable passing carrier, to disconnect said switches and levers and to permit the passing of said carrier without operating a switch, and as many series of carriers as there are tube-sections, each series of carriers being appropriated to one of said tube-sections and each carrier of each tubesection being adapted to pass through all the other tube-sections without operating any switch and to operate a single switch of its own tube-section, and each carrier being of angular cross-section corresponding to the cross-section of said tube.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NAZAIRE LEBLANC. Witnesses: p

ALBERT M. MOORE, BENJAMIN HODGMAN. 

